Helena Bertinelli
dc-comics-huntress-birds-of-prey-premium-art-print-sideshow-500282-02.jpg Helena "Huntress" Bertinelli is an anti-hero Batman family affiliate that uses her connections as well as her clandestine dwellings to take down the local mob scene in Gotham. To a lesser public, she is a strict nun that's not afraid to get a little violent. Then again, she's violent on the street too. Background Canonical origin: Maria Bertinelli, the wife of Franco Bertinelli of the Mafia family in Gotham City, was the subject of frequent beatings from her husband, though he was careful never to hit her in the face. Maria began an affair with a man named Santo Cassamento and eventually became pregnant by him. Knowing the unborn child wasn't his, Franco continued to beat his wife throughout her pregnancy. When Maria gave birth to this child of her illicit union, she chose the name Helena Rosa. During the first eight years of Helena's life, she lived in the household of a Mafioso without ever being aware of the criminal dealing which took place there. When Helena was eight years old, a man barged in to the Bertinelli household during dinner and shot Franco, Maria and Pino Bertinelli, sparing Helena. The hit came from Mandragora who wished for no vendettas against him. Helena's biological father passed the order along with a modification that "the sister" be spared. Santo was referring to Maria, but the gunman confused Maria with Helena and so Helena was spared, though she was not supposed to be. Helena was placed under the care of her Uncle Tomasso's nephew, Salvatore Asaro. She was taken back to the old country, Sicily, where she would be kept safe and where the family was still strong. When arriving, she was terrified. Helena remained there for a number of years. Watching her cousin and uncle train and practice with weapons and hand-to-hand combat. However, the nightmares stayed with her. One night, her cousin showed her that only she could stop the nightmare by putting an end to those who murdered her family: blood cries for blood. When taken into the barn, she asked her cousin to teach her how, picking up a crossbow on the wall. She trained until the age of fifteen when she was sent to a boarding school in Switzerland to protect her from the Italian authorities who were cracking down on the Mafia. When reading and seeing what was happening, she realized that everything she had been told was a lie about the Mafia. She realized that the Mafia was a force of corruption and evil, and it had been headed by her own family in Gotham City. At age sixteen, she finally returned to Gotham City to spend Christmas with her uncle. However, she hated everyone there. During the party, Helena witnessed her family finally was frightened of something. Batman had crashed the party and fought with them. Inspired by the way Batman frightened and defeated the people she hated, Helena realized that she could fight them too by following his example. Current stylization: Since then Helena has been quietly planning and plotting her way into the crimefighting scene by way of the seemingly most inconspicuous way possible. Through the convent. It was a hard decision to make but wanting to fully commit to her ultimate goals, Helena booked up on her studies to graduate a year early, and at seventeen, allegedly decided to dedicate her life to God. As a nun, she was as devout as they'd come. Confessions and communion, rosaries and repenting, Helena became a model nun. However, once becoming well known among her sisters, and comfortable enough around her fathers, she began her nightly schedules of collecting information, scouring the night streets of Gotham and lending her hand in small time fights and crimes to keep her chops wet. Eventually though, after gaining some hard confidence from a few run ins with the local mob, Helena's personality would also begin to take a change. From devout and assertive to strict and disciplinary, she quickly became one of the more hands-on figures in the convent, "helping" those that struggled in their strive to steer away from moral imperfection. It wasn't long before she was recommended and transferred around various academies and churches to lend her hand in keeping straight the Catholic people during the day while beating down gangsters and squatters at night. Personality & Behavior Helena is not a very nice person. Plain and simple. Not very much liked by many and taking a liking to even less, she pulls no punches with her words, even while in habit and rosary. She has very little patience for...anything and has on countless occasions been called a bitch for her cuntrag behavior. When in the midst of battle, however, Helena seems to come alive, trading scowls for smirks and the occasional chuckle. If you're lucky and happen to catch her on a good day, she has a weakness for Italian foods and desserts, and might even give you a nickname! Appearance Gotham girls huntress by iurypadilha-d7g4m37.jpg Powers and Abilities *'Archery': Huntress carries her trademark crossbows on her at all times. Whether they're dual mounted mini-crossbows or one large crossbow is up to her as she has proficiency to use both. She's once used a single bolt to split a bullet in two. *'Stealth': Huntress can be very stealthy when she needs to. With her specially outfitted suit and various toys in her utility belt she can sneak into a facility and learn whatever information she desires although she sometimes prefers to fight her way in. *'Investigation': Batman, himself, has mentioned Huntress's prowess during investigation situations. She is credited as the "Batman" of the Birds of Prey team and regularly spends her free-time solving cold cases especially when the Mafia is involved. Equipment *'Huntress Battle-Staff': A collapsible, combat metallic staff that she has used since the very beginning of her adventures. Approved by (This is where a fellow admin will provide their signature once the page is deemed fit for use.)